Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the work of standing committees is essential to the performance of all parliamentary governments. In the NWT's consensus style, the minority government and the majority committee must work together to achieve good government. The public's expectation is that all Members will work collegially and constructively and, in large measure, the NWT's consensus Assemblies of the past 30 years have satisfied this expectation.
Trust and transparency are vital in the communications and relations between the government and committees. Our Assembly has developed conventions, protocols and some rules that guide us. However, when these are not followed, the ability of committees to do their jobs is compromised.
In the course of its work in the 15th Assembly, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight has observed that on several occasions, Ministers and the Premier have ignored or avoided their responsibility to include committees in the development and/or announcement of various initiatives.
These have included:
- • the relocation of the Territorial Treatment Centre from Yellowknife to Hay River;
- • the surprise announcement of the "letter of comfort" to the Mackenzie gas project parties;
- • the Mackenzie Gas Project Socio-economic Agreement;
- • the disbanding of the Diamond Strategy Group;
- • the development of the Housing Corporation mandate;
- • appointments to key boards such as the NWT Power Corporation ; and
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- • planning for allocation of the $35 million community capacity fund.
Ministers have repeatedly been asked by Members and Committee to adhere to the spirit and intent of consensus. In addition, Mr. Speaker, the committee forced Cabinet to rewrite a directive of the Financial Administration Manual to tighten up the government's requirement to consult on changes to capital projects.
The consequence of continuing to selectively ignore or avoid committees and Members is that trust and confidence among MLAs is lost, and the integrity of the Assembly is eroded.
The committee's vision is: "a strong, effective consensus government that has the confidence of the people of the NWT." The public's confidence in our government can only be assured if Cabinet and the committees honour the protocols required of our consensus approach.
Mr. Speaker, the following summarizes progress on our other priorities:
Human Resources
Effective April 1, 2006, a new Department of Human Resources was created, with the committee's support. The committee will continue to monitor the new department closely to ensure that it does result in a more efficient and responsive system of staffing and developing our government workforce.
The committee is disappointed that the re-examination of the affirmative action policy remains outstanding. The committee has recommended that the government release a public discussion paper and/or draft policy before the end of the 15th Assembly to give the next Assembly a head start on this important issue.
A Review Of All GNWT Boards And Agencies
Mr. Speaker, an early objective of the 15th Assembly was better coordination of the government's 112 assorted boards and agencies. A Joint Cabinet/AOC Working Group concluded its mandate and advanced a great deal of work on data gathering and preparing a new governance framework for boards and agencies, including a policy on boards and agencies. Further progress on this initiative stalled because the government chose not to allocate the recommended resources, Mr. Speaker.
A Review Of The Operations And Mandate Of The NWT Housing Corporation, Including The Rent Scales For Social Housing
Committee members have raised a number of serious concerns with the NWT Housing Corporation to which we have not received satisfactory responses from the Minister and government. This led us to bring forward a formal motion on March 2, 2006, requesting a performance audit of the corporation by the Auditor General of Canada. The committee expects to see the audit report before the end of our term.
The Standing Committee on Social Programs is continuing to address critical policy and operational issues, such as the rent scales for social housing, improving the condition of existing housing stock, and proposed involvement with the Mackenzie gas project/Novell Housing opportunity.
An Operational Review Of The Workers' Compensation Board And Completion Of The Amendments To The Legislation
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's report on the performance audit of the Workers' Compensation Board was tabled in June 2006. The committee held three full days and one evening of public hearings on the audit, and presented its report, including eight substantive recommendations, in October 2006.
The committee looks forward to the introduction and consideration of a new Workers' Compensation Act in the near future, and, Mr. Speaker, to working with the Nunavut Legislature on concurrent passage.
I would now like to ask my colleague, the Member for Kam Lake, to continue with the committee's report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.